Cookaholics Bulletin Board

So, one of our rare Bay Area heatwaves today. 102 in San Mateo (we were at the San Mateo County Fair), 82 in SF, and apparently 112 (!!!) in Fairfield. Good thing we didn't go minigolfing.

Anyway, I came home and made gazpacho, because I really didn't feel like turning on the stove. Had it with cheese and bread. I've also been known to make panzanella salad or tabouleh for these kinds of days. Or, later in the summer, watermelon/feta salad.

What do you cook when you don't want to turn on the oven?

Salads.....any kind and chilled soups. Mostly, if its too hot to cook, I grab cheese, fruit and crackers and another kind of nibbles and just nosh instead of sitting down for a meal. When I did the addition to the house, I added central air, so its not as bad as it used to be, but if its hot out, sometimes, I am just not very hungry, so the nibble theory holds.
It's also nice have two little gourmet shops close to the house, so I can get pretty good take out.

I feel for you, Fuzzy! The only thing I like about heat is that my peppers like it.

First dish that came to my mind was gazpacho, as it is my favorite cold soup. And don't forget, hot peppers cool you off, so don't be light handed with those!

Lots of salad and something from the grill. Also, not a bad day to pick up a roast chicken. I love cold soups to, I just don't make them enough.

Mary

I have a chicken curry pasta salad that we like, along with the gazpacho, cold avocado soup, sometimes, just a "cold plate," cut up veggies, with some sliced or leftover meat (which I know you would skip, Fuzzy.)

It's hot in California, because I am coming home next week, and the Sun was all booked up.

I cook a lot of meals in my slow cooker. I love Slow Cooker Revolution, and a Cuisine at Home slow cooking magazine...

Chicken Salad, Hummus, supper salads like Cobb Salad, Tuna Salad, or just a pile of deli meats and cheeses made into sandwiches. If I have to use the oven, I try to make something small enough to fit in the toaster oven. It doesn't heat up the kitchen so much.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and suppose that you don't want to hear about my toasted oatmeal with cream, raisins and cinnamon for breakfast to help fight off the chilly 12C (55F) morning..... Oh yeah, and the chilly breeze with light rain

Considering it's in the 30s here overnight right now it's rarely too hot to cook. I SO do not miss the heat and humidity of NY. But, to answer your question...a LOT of salads.

Amy

It's insanely hot here. (mid 30's celcius with humidex feeling like mid 40's). I've been making use of stuff in the freezer, tacos on Monday, leftover taco meat for natchos last night. Bought 2 rotisserie chickens and cut the meat off the bones and we had the wings and legs for dinner last night with the nachos, the rest saved for wraps tonight with peppers, salsa, shredded cheese. May have enough left for ceasar salad wraps for lunch tomorrow.